Letter from the AuthorsAcknowledgmentsAbout the Authors1 AN INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL AGE The Changing Nature of the Social World--and Sociology Central Concerns for a Twenty- First-Century Sociology Sociology: Continuity and Change The Social Construction of Reality Sociology's Purpose: Science or Social Reform? Sociology, the Other Social Sciences, and Common Sense Summary Key Terms Review Questions2 THINKING ABOUT AND RESEARCHING THE SOCIAL WORLD Theorizing the Social World Contemporary Sociological Theory Researching the Social World Issues in Social Research Summary Key Terms Review Questions3 CULTURE A Definition of Culture The Basic Elements of Culture Cultural Differences 70 Ideal and Real Culture Global Culture Emerging Issues in Culture Summary Key Terms Review Questions4 SOCIALIZATION AND INTERACTION The Individual and the Self The Individual as Performer Socialization Interaction Superordinate-Subordinate Interactions Micro-Level Social Structures Summary Key Terms Review Questions5 ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIETIES, AND GLOBAL RELATIONSHIPS Organizations Contemporary Organizational Realities Societies Global Relationships Summary Key Terms Review Questions6 DEVIANCE AND CRIME Deviance Theories of Deviance Crime Summary Key Terms Review Questions7 SOCIAL STRATIFICATION IN THE UNITED STATES AND GLOBALLY Dimensions of Social Stratification Economic Inequality Social Mobility Theories of Social Stratification Consumption and Social Stratification Global Stratification Summary Key Terms Review Questions8 RACE AND ETHNICITY The Concepts of Race and Ethnicity Majority-Minority Relations Racism Race and Ethnicity in a Global Context Summary Key Terms Review Questions9 GENDER AND SEXUALITY Gender and Sex The Sociology of Sexuality Sexuality, Gender, and Globalization Global Flows Related to Gender Summary Key Terms Review Questions10 FAMILIES Family, Marriage, and Intimate Relationships Broad Changes in Marriage and the Family Theorizing the Family Problems in the Family Global Families Summary Key Terms Review Questions11 EDUCATION AND RELIGION Education Inequality in Education Globalization and Education Religion Components of Religion Types of Religious Institutions Religion and Globalization Summary Key Terms Review Questions12 POLITICS AND THE ECONOMY Politics: Democracy or Dictatorship Who Rules the United States? Global Politics The U.S. Economy: From Industrialization to Deindustrialization Work, Consumption, and Leisure Globalization and the Economy Summary Key Terms Review Questions13 THE BODY, MEDICINE, HEALTH, AND HEALTH CARE The Body The Sociology of Health and Medicine Globalization and Health Summary Key Terms Review Questions14 POPULATION, URBANIZATION, AND THE ENVIRONMENT Population Urbanization Cities and Globalization The Environment Summary Key Terms Review Questions15 SOCIAL CHANGE, SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, AND COLLECTIVE ACTION Social Movements Collective Action Social Change: Globalization, Consumption, and the Internet Summary Key Terms Review QuestionsGlossaryReferences: Chapter-Opening VignettesReferences: Comprehensive ListIndex.